History of violin making in Klingenthal

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Klingenthal 1726

The violin making in Klingenthal in the state of Saxony originated from the settlement of the place by exiles from the Habsburg areas in the 17th century . It led to the economic rise of the place and still shapes the music corner around Klingenthal today . Caspar Hopf was one of the most famous violin makers in Klingenthal . He founded a dynasty that gave the Klingenthal violin making a special style. After more than 300 years, the Klingenthal master workshops completely disappeared in 1975.

Chronicle of violin making in Klingenthal

Settlement of Klingenthal by Bohemian exiles

The violin making trade was introduced from Bohemia to Klingenthal from 1659 onwards by the influx of exiles. This was facilitated by the fact that lower taxes had to be paid in the areas around Schöneck and that people lived close to their old home. The Klingenthal feudal lords Boxberger were also interested in the arrival of the exiles. Before that there were mainly hammer smiths, miners and charcoal burners in Klingenthal.

The oldest violin makers Caspar Hopf , Johann Gottfried Dörfler and Johann Friedrich Dörfler were probably born in Bohemia. Many exiles came from the town of Graslitz (today Kraslice ) and the surrounding areas, where there were violin makers in the past and a guild was founded in 1669. In the earliest times Melchior Lorentz, Barthel Lippold, Georg Kurtzendörffer and Michael Dörffel worked as violin makers in Graslitz. In addition to Klingenthal, they also chose Markneukirchen as their new home and founded a new violin makers' guild there in 1677, which also accepted masters from outside the area. The founding members in 1677 were, Christian Reicholt, Caspar Schönfelder, Johann Caspar Reicholt, Johann Georg Poller, Caspar Hopf, Johann Schönfelder, Johann Gottfried Götzel, Johann Adam Kurtzendörffer, Johann Adam Pöpel, Johann Georg Schönfelder, David Rudert and Simon Schönfelder. Among the 12 founding members of the guild were no less than seven violin makers who were born in Klingenthal or at least lived temporarily.

The outstanding figure of the Klingenthal violin making was Caspar Hopf , who settled in Quittenbach and whose descendants worked in the violin making trade for many generations. He died in Stolberg (Harz) in 1711 on the way to the Braunschweig fair. Like his son Johann Michael, he did not experience the establishment of his own Klingenthal guild. Johann Michel's widow continued the workshop and was allowed to promote a journeyman. Georg Caspar Hopf, Georg Friedrich Hopf and Hans Georg Ludwig were also active as violin makers.

Foundation and development of the first guild

The four violin makers Hannß Georg Ludewig, George Caspar Hopff, Johann George Dörffler and George Friedrich Hopff applied for the founding of the Klingenthal guild. The bailiff then handed the request over to Duke Moritz Wilhelm von Sachsen , who granted the relevant approval on January 20, 1716. The guild was finally founded on January 24th, initially consisting of four masters and a master widow. The first head master was Georg Caspar Hopf. The Klingenthal masters, who previously belonged to the Markneukirchen guild, gradually switched to the Klingenthalers, for example Christian Friedrich Dörffler in 1716, Johann Adam Richter in 1723 and Johann Christian Uebel in 1730.

Four times a year the masters and the journeymen met at the convents. The purpose was to discuss general matters affecting the violin maker, the payment of the dues to the guild as well as master meetings, speculations (request for admission to the master's examination), impositions (admission of apprentices) and absenteeism. The annual accounts of the guild were also carried out at the convention. The venue was the home of the guild master, who cleared the largest room except for the seating and the guild drawer, but later the inn was used for the meetings due to lack of space. As the number of violin makers increased, the convents became more and more extensive, so that the tasks were spread over two days instead of one as in the early years.

In 1780 the masters complained that lutes and viols had become out of use. The construction of this was necessary for the acquisition of the master craftsman's certificate. The Klingenthal violin makers endeavored to deliver their instruments to Markneukirchen dealers. This resulted in a 150 year violin war between the two villages. The first result dated 1695 that no violin maker from one place in another is allowed to sell his violins.

There were also violin makers among Klingenthal's organists, including David Christian Havemann. He was a violin maker and collector of accus . Havemann held this office from around 1740 to 1788. His son Friedrich Wilhelm followed as organist until 1774, and he was also a violin maker. He was followed by Johann Georg Ströz, a musical instrument dealer. Organists from other professions were then employed. Those mentioned liked to write their profession (organist and musical instrument maker ) on their violin notes .

The patrimonial legislation bothered the Klingenthalers . In 1770 it was abolished. The guild masters led lengthy quarrels over the release of their sons from agricultural labor and from military service. This request was met. The dispute lasted from 1789 to 1809 because of the exemption from military service .

The violin makers' guild saw the 100th anniversary of the building of the church "Zum Friedefürsten" and the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Reformation . When King Friedrich August II visited Klingenthal on August 5, 1846, a number of musical instruments were on display. On July 23, 1860, King Johann stayed in Klingenthal. He had the situation in the workshops described in detail. The violin makers' guild had set up an exhibition for this. The sale of instruments went up and down in these years. The American Civil War in particular bothered the craftsmen, as America was the main market for instruments from the Vogtland. The inauguration of the music school took place on November 1st, 1843 and 60 young people registered.

Economic boom and harmonica building in Klingenthal

In 1829 there was a big change in Klingenthal. The wooden comb production and harmonica industry found their way into Klingenthal. In 1852 the accordion construction followed . As a result, large parts of the population found work with immediate pay. Violin makers also turned to the new occupation, because the field of work required little skill and the journeyman wandering time was omitted . Before that, a violin maker had to pay subsidies and, with the necessary dexterity, could count on being a respected violin maker in a few years. He had put tools and workshop equipment, sound wood buy, pay taxes and provide for sales of its products. Years passed here before violin makers really made a living. After 30 years, the heyday of wooden comb production was over. The workers moved to the harmonica factories . In 1862 violin making had 166 individual workshops.

Dissolution of the first and later founding of the second and last guild

In 1887 the violin makers' guild dissolved. In 1868 Julius Berthold founded his company for the manufacture of machines for making musical instruments. For the mechanical production of floors and ceilings, the Klingenthal engineer William Thau invented a copy milling machine in 1904 . Orchestrion production began in 1888 . In 1895 the Plauen Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced that the first string concert orchestrions had been developed at the FO Glaß company. On November 28, 1913, the "Musical Instrument Makers Guild Brunndöbra and Surroundings" was founded. This meant a flare-up of the old violin making tradition. At that time, 55 violin , violoncello and double bass makers were members of the guild. In 1933 there were 45 masters and six journeymen . In 1934 Otto Goram was appointed head master. In 1945 Max Richard Herold took over as head master. With his death on April 9, 1975 the guild expired.

present

In 1997 the college for musical instrument making was established in Klingenthal . For the first time after the Second World War , violin makers were trained in Klingenthal again. As a result, the place became more important for violin making, because apart from the Klingenthal School there is only the violin making school in Mittenwald in Germany . There was also lively contact with the violin making school in Luby until it closed.

Statistics of violin makers between 1728 and 1896

description

(In 1871 more than 1/3 of the entire workforce in the Klingenthal district was employed in the harmonica industry, which has now predominated)

Career of a violin maker

Only legitimate sons of honest parents were considered as violin makers . The sons of grave diggers, shepherds and flayers were excluded. A 14-day trial service should show suitability in the first place. Only then could the father ask the chairman to recruit his son. This was done when he paid two guilders to the guild drawer and two guilders to the office, as well as paying 4 gr. But the guild also protected the teacher insofar as they ensured that the teaching fee (including board and lodging) of 16 guilders would be handed over to him. The father had to provide bail or surety to the guild for payment . Now the four-year apprenticeship began. Each master only ever had to keep one apprentice so that nobody would be neglected and develop into a botch .

A guild drawer

According to the past teaching, the acquittal took place on payment of a writing fee of several groschen , while later a fee was due. This was probably just the replacement for the apprentice roast and the two buckets of beer that every acquitted had to give according to the articles of 1716. The master sons were exempt from teaching. They were obliged to pay the money for a pail of beer.

Originally, the master sons also enjoyed various other advantages. In any case, with the high contributions one wanted to prevent too many foreigners from coming into the trade, that it would become too widespread and thereby worsen the situation of the entire class. The sons-in-law of the masters were equated with the sons.

The new journeyman would now stay abroad for two years without interruption. Wandering interrupted by returning home early should be completely invalid. It was not the guild, but only the sovereign government that could free them . Hiking destinations could of course only be areas in which violin making was at home, such as Bohemia , Upper Bavaria , Tyrol , Salzburg and perhaps Italy . There are no documents anywhere as to whether the hike was really carried out so strictly. The fact is that after 1840 it was no longer observed.

According to the original stipulations, the journeyman who returned should have the right to apply for the master's degree. He had to make his request in front of the open drawer for three consecutive quarters. that is, he should "muthen". Each time he paid his courage or the claim money. Now the time was set when he had to make his masterpieces. That should take place under the supervision of delegated masters, probably “so that foreign help would not be used”, as it was also done in Markneukirchen, “between morning and evening 6 o'clock, under the supervision of the chairman and two foremen on the first day, later only one Foreman at the beginning and end of the day's work ”.

Instruments to be made to acquire the master craftsman's certificate

The following was required of the guild as a masterpiece :

literature

  • Kurt Erich Dörfel: History of the places of the district court district of Klingenthal. Publishing house Gustav Bergmann, Klingenthal 1930.
  • Kurt Kauert: Vogtland-West Bohemian violin making in five centuries. Origin - locations - structures. Verlag der Kunst Dresden, Husum 2006, ISBN 3-86530-079-0 ( Weiss-Grün 34 series).
  • Klingenthal. Chronicle about the Aschberg. Wir-Verlag Walter Weller, Aalen 1991, ISBN 3-924492-59-X .
  • Arthur Müller: Look into Klingenthal's past. Commission publisher Brückner & Niemann, Leipzig 1897.
  • Bernhard Zöbisch: Vogtland violin making. Biographies and explanations up to 1850. Geiger, Horb am Neckar 2000, ISBN 3-89570-594-2 .
  • Bernhard Zöbisch: Vogtland violin making. Biographies and explanations from 1850 onwards. Geiger, Horb am Neckar 2002, ISBN 3-89570-797-X .

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ * 1639
  2. ↑ later written to Dörfel, * 1660
  3. ^ Son of the miner Andreas Lorentz from Breitenbrunn ; emigrated to Klingenthal in 1653; † 1677 in Markneukirchen
  4. ↑ Son of a coppersmith from Neudorf near Mittweida , * probably around 1620 in Graslitz ; went to Hof (Saale) in 1651 ; † 1666 Hof (Saale)
  5. ↑ Son of a master baker from Elbogen (today Loket ). † 1664 in Graslitz
  6. ↑ (also Derffler) from Graslitz ; † at the age of 48 in 1677 as an exile in Schöneck
  7. ↑ * 1631 in Graslitz , son of the smelter and smelter Georg R. from Marienberg , immigrated between 1670 and 1677
  8. ↑ * 1642 in Graslitz (or Klingenthal?), Son of Johann Schönfelder
  9. ↑ Christian Reicholt's younger brother
  10. ↑ (also Boller), son of the doctor Hans Poller, emigrated around 1670
  11. ↑ Baker , son of the Klingenthal baker Georg Schönfelder (his sons Caspar Schönfelder, Johann Georg Schönfelder and Simon Schönfelder)
  12. ↑ * 1650 in Graslitz as the son of the cloth maker Jacob G.
  13. ↑ * April 1659 in Graslitz , son of the baker Georg K. from Elbogen
  14. ↑ * 1653 in Graslitz (?), Son of Johann Schönfelder
  15. ↑ * 1652 in Lottengrün near Theuma , son of the tailor Hans Rudert
  16. ↑ * around 1656 in Markneukirchen (?), Son of Johann Schönfelder
  17. ↑ * 1680 † 1712
  18. ↑ * 1675 † 1754
  19. ↑ * 1687 † 1734
  20. ↑ presumably * 1660 † 1718
  21. ↑ Dörfel
  22. ↑ died in May 1804
  23. ↑ 1837
  24. ↑ 1839
  25. ↑ u. a. by Johann Wilhelm Rudolph Glier
  26. ↑ 23 violin makers were 54 to 80 years old.
This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on November 23, 2006 .